Translational properties of a non-polyadenylated oligo(U)-containing RNA fraction from wheat embryos.

A non-polyadenylated oligo(U)-containing RNA (poly(A)- . oligo(U)+ RNA) fraction was isolated from wheat embryo cytoplasm and its properties were compared with those of polyadenylated RNA (poly(A)+ RNA) from the same source. Both RNA preparations were highly heterogeneous and effectively stimulated [14C]leucine incorporation in a wheat germ cell-free translation system. Electrophoretic patterns of the translation products appearing in the non-polyadenylated RNA- and polyadenylated RNA-supplemented translation assays, respectively, differed from each other. The non-polyadenylated RNA-specific translation products included, in particular, a series of high molecular weight polypeptides. It is concluded that a specific class of non-polyadenylated oligo(U)-containing mRNA species (other than histone mRNAs) occurs in the wheat embryo cells.